Flight fixture assembly



Nov. 1, 1960 e. R. DODSON 2,958,415

FLIGHT FIXTURE ASSEMBLY Filed June 12, 1958 fl lzm fwwv ATTORNEYS.

United States Patent FLIGHT FIXTURE ASSENIBLY Guy R. Dodson, Beaverton, Oreg., assignor to Esco Corporation, a corporation of Oregon Filed June 12, 1958, Ser. No. 741,522

Claims. (Cl. 198--200) This invention relates to a flight fixture assembly and, more particularly to an assembly useful without the need of special connecting links.

Flight fixtures of the character with which this inven tion is concerned have found wide use in the logging industry. There, for example, the general practice in hauling logs has been to operate a sprocket driven loop of long link chain in a V-shaped trough, attaching to the chain at suitable intervals dogs, or as mos-t commonly known, chairs, for transporting the logs. A widely used structure for attaching the chairs to the chain involve the use of connecting or plural-piece links. Also employed were T-blocks which were placed inside a link and then received a key which in turn secured the chair.

Numerous shortcomings and disadvantages arose in these structures. A principal disadvantage stemmed from the fact that their intricate construction demanded that they be casted and conventional casting practices require at least a limited amount of clearance between parts to permit their assembly. Any undue clearance under the strenuous conditions encountered results in continual movement and rapid wear, which leads to faulty operation and high maintenance costs.

It is a principal object of this invention to provide a novel flight fixture assembly that overcomes the disadvantages and drawbacks outlined above. Another object is to provide a flight fixture that is adatped to be mounted on any link of a link chain. Still another object is to provide a novel flight fixture in which relative movement between the parts is minimized. Yet another object is to provide a flight fixture for mounting on a link chain in which lateral movement of the link in the fixture is substantially minimized while longitudinal relative movement is permitted so as to accommodate the chain articulation when passing around sprockets, drums, etc.

A further object is to provide a novel flight fixture which incorporates a link receiving recess and a tapered arcuate pin extending through the link and mounted in an arcuate slot communicating with the link-receiving recess. A still further object is to provide secondary locking means for the arcuate key just described. A yet further object is to provide a novel flight fixture equipped with a plurality of uniquely arranged tooth-like projections. Other objects and advantages, both general and specific, can be seen as this specification proceeds.

This invention will be described, in an illustrative ernbodiment, in conjunction with the accompanying drawing, in which-- t Figure 1 is a perspective view of a flight fixture embodying teachings of this invention and mounted on a fragment of link chain;

Figure 2 is an enlarged transverse sectional View taken along the line 22 of Figure 1;

Figure 3 is a longitudinal sectional view of the structure shown in Figure 1 and is taken along the line 33 of Figure 2;

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Figure 4 is an enlarged fragmentary top view of the flight fixtures seen in Figure 1;

Figure 5 is an elevational view of the arcuate key employed in securing the chair portion of the fixture to the chain;

Figure 6 is a side view of the key shownin Figure 5; and

Figure 7 is a cross-sectional view of the key shown in Figure 5.

In the illustration given, the numeral 10 designates generally a flight fixture mounted on a length of link chain generally designated 11. As best seen in Figure 3, the fixture 10 is mounted on a vertically oriented link 11a. Ordinarily, this will be the orientation of the link on which the flight fixture 10 is mounted since the sprockets (not shown) for changing the direction of the chain will, in general, be also vertically oriented and therefore engage only the horizontally disposed links. Mounting the flight fixture therefore on a vertically oriented link does not interfere with the articulation of the chain as it passes around sprockets. However, it is to be appreciated that the fixture 10 can just as easily be mounted on a horizontally oriented chain.

The flight fixture 10 in general outline is of conventional construction having a top wall 10a extending laterally of chain 11 and equipped at the sides thereof with upstanding walls 12. The upstanding walls 12 are in turn equipped with tooth-like projections 13 which serve to bite into the logs and transport them along a V-shaped trough (not shown) in the direction indicated by the arrow in Figure l. i

The chair portion of the fixture 10 in addition to being equipped with the upstanding side Walls 12, is equipped with a link receiving recess 14 in the bottom wall thereof and which is defined by a longitudinally bifurcated shank 15. The bifurcated shank 15 in effect provides a pair of depending walls 15a (best seen in Figure 2) which are spaced apart sufliciently to receive link 11a but which provide a snug fit therefor to minimize lateral movement of the link 11a relative to the fixture 10. In the illustration given the recess 14 extends upwardly at least as far as top wall 10a. To accommodate this positioning of link 11a, the portions of top wall 10a adjacent the central portion are connected together by integral connective portions 16, seen in Figures l-4. In Figure 1, it can be seen that the more forward connecting portion 16 is equipped with tooth-like projections 16a which lie forwardly of the tooth-like projections 13 on side walls 12, as also can be appreciated from a consideration of Figure 3.

The chair portion of fixture 10 is equipped with a transverse arcuate slot 17 (best seen in Figure 2) which communicates with recess 14 and is provided by cutting away portions of the side walls that define recess 14. Recess 17 communicates also at both ends thereof with top wall 10a.

Removably mounted in arcuate slot 17 is an arcuate tapered key generally designated by the numeral 18 and seen in sole presentation in Figures 57.

In Figure 2, the key 18 is shown in dotted line and the arrow in Figure2 indicates the rotational movement to be imparted to key 18 to force it into position within transverse slot 17. When this is done and the structure depicted in Figure 1 is achieved, the key 18 fits Within the opening of link 11a but with a loose enough fit to permit relative longitudinal movement between link 11a and fixture 10 so as to provide the advantageous shift of position during chain articulation.

The key 18, as best seen in Figure 7, is of a generally rectangular configuration in the section taken transverse to the are on which the key is made. The taper is introduced into key 18 as at 19 by gradually reducing the dimension transverse to the arc while proceeding along the arc. Preferably, this is done only at one end of the dimension, leaving one side flat and generally perpendioular to the width of the key. This, in effect, provides a wedge shape for key 18. The flat side of the key 18, the flat side being designated by the numeral 20, engages a correspondingly flat mating surface in the chair portion of fixture as at 21 in Figure 3. The tapered sideor face 19 of key 18, in addition to being tapered, is rounded and grooved as at 19a which permits the key'18 to be accurately positioned within slot 17 through the cooperation of a corresponding configuration in the mating side Wall of slot 17 as at 22 in Figure 3. The tapered face 19 of key 18 is so constructed i.e., locating the groove 19: a sufficient distance from the center of rotation of the arcuate key 18, as to accurately enclose but not to bind on a given chain link 11a when the key 18 is rotated into place. After key 18 is suitably engaged in slot 17 it may be driven into a tight fit. Subsequently removal is readily achieved by driving against the small end 23 of key 18.

Secondary locking means can be provided in the form of a retainer pin 24 seen deformed in place in a notch or recess 25 in the rearwardly disposed connecting portion 16, Preferably, pin 24 is constructed of low carbon steel and is welded as at 26 into a pin providing recess in the smaller end 23 of key 18.

As can be appreciated from Figure 1, the flight fixture 10 is inwardly notched as at 27 so that the fixture does not extend longitudinally beyond link 11a. Thus the easy articulation of the link is insured while the lateral portions of fixture 10 can be longitudinally elongated to provide a wider base for the projections that engage logs or other articles to be carried on the conveyer chain.

In the illustration given, the chair portion of the flight fixture is genera ly U-shaped in transverse section, or alternatively, when the connecting portion 16 is considered, the over-all shape is approximately that of a W. If the flight fixture is to be employed for purposes other than hauling logs, it may be desirabl to dispense with the arm portions of the U and the tooth-like projections thereon.

While in the foregoing specification, a detailed description of an embodiment of the invention has been set forth in considerable detail for the purpose of explanation, it will be apparent to those skilled in the art that numerous changes may be made in those details without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention.

I claim:

1. In a flight fixture assembly, alength of link chain, a fixture mounted onone link of said chain, said fixture having a link-receiving recess on one side thereof, an arcuate slot in said fixture transverse to said recess and communicating therewith, and an arcuate key in. said recess extending through the opening in said one link said key being tapered in the direction of its arcuity and engaging the walls of said slot in locking relation therewith, said key, when so locked, having its inner arcuate surface in sliding relation with the portion of said link embraced thereby.

2'. The structure of claim 1 in which said key is equipped with locking means at its smaller end.

3. In combination a length of link chain, a flight fixture positioned on one of the vertically oriented links of said chain, said fixture being equipped with a recess in the bottom wall thereof in which said one link is received, portions of the recess-defining walls being cut .4 away to provide an arcuate slot transverse to said recess with said slot communicating at both ends thereof with the top wall of said fixture, a tapered arcuate key in said slot extending through said one link, said key being limitedly insertable in said slot by the contact between the walls of said slot and the tapered surfaces of said key, and means in said fixture preventing removal of said key from said slot.

4. The structure of claim 3 in which the portions of the said top wall overlying said recess are spaced above portions of the top wall adjacent thereto.

5. The structure of claim 3 in which the key is equipped with a deformable end portion at the smaller end thereof, said portion being deformable into locking engagement with the top Wall of said fixture to prevent retraction of said key.

6. A flight fixture assembly adapted to be mounted on any link of a link chain comprising a chair body having centrally disposed, spaced-apart, integral depending walls, the space between said walls providing a linkreceiving cavity, said body also being equipped with integral connective portions extending above the top wall thereof over said cavity to permit a link to extend upwardly into said cavity at least as far as said top Wall, an arcuate slot in said body transverse to said cavity in communication therewith and also extending through said top wall, and an arcuate tapered key for said slot, the said key being limitedly insertable in said slot by the contact between the tapered walls of said key and the Walls of said slot.

7. The structure of claim 6 in which said key is equipped with a longitudinally extending pin from the smaller end thereof, said pin being deformable to lock said key in said slot against removal therefrom.

8. The structure of claim 6 in which said body is equipped with a plurality of tooth-like projections extending upwardly from the top wall thereof, some of said projections being provided on the sides of said chair and some centrally of said chair, the centrally disposed projections being disposed forwardly of the side projections.

9. In a flight fixture assembly, a chair adapted to be positioned on a link of a chain, said chair being generally U-shaped in transverse section and having a longitudinally-extending, centrally disposed shank below the base of the U, said s'hank being equipped with an arcuate transverse slot and a longitudinal slot in communication with said transverse slot, an arcuate key in said transverse slot, means in said assembly for locking said key in said transverse slot independent of any bearing provided by a link in said longitudinal slot, said key being generally rectangular in cross section, the dimension of said key transverse to the arc of said key gradually diminishing along said are to provide a tapered key efliective to provide said locking means.

10. The structure of claim 9 in which only one side of the key is tapered.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 356,973 Allman Feb. 1, 1887 503,908 Hahn Aug. 22, 1893 622,064 Neacy Mar. 28, 1899 1,169,351 Quay Jan. 25, 1916 2,580,786 Jewett et al Jan. 1, 1952 FOREIGN PATENTS 783,759 Great Britain Sept. 25, 1957 

